Pivotally mounted support means



Feb. 21, 1967 M. BABIN 3,305,204

PIVOTALLY MOUNTED SUPPORT MEANS Filed June 9, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

(/ I/ By MARTA BABIN Feb. 21, 1967 M BABlN 3,305,204

PIVOTALLY MOUNTED SUPPORT MEANS Filed June 9, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 & I26

INVENTOR. MARTA BABIN W )4 am ATTO l2 NEYS United States fPatent O 3,305,204 PIVOTALLY MOUNTED SUPPORT MEANS Marta Babin, San Rafael, Calif, assignor of one-half to Douglas Godfrey, San Rafael, Calif. Filed June 9, 1965, Ser. No. 462,588 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-278) The present invention relates to new and novel pivotally mounted support means, and more particularly to a support arm which is mounted in such a manner that it can be pivoted about two mutually perpendicular axes so as to be capable of movement into a desired storage position and which can also be moved into a plurality of selected operative adjusted positions.

The pivotally mounted support means of the present invention comprises an elongated member which may be supported on a suitable surface such as a wall or the like. The elongated support arm is adapted to be stored in a position adjacent to and substantially parallel with a mounting surface such as a wall, and means is incorporated in the struction for retaining the arm in such position.

The arm may be selectively swung out of its storage position into an operative position wherein it may extend in a plane disposed substantially perpendicular to the associated mounting surface. Means is also provided for locking the support arm such that it will remain in such plane and may be swung into different adjusted positions in this last-mentioned plane.

In a typical example, wherein the support arm is mounted on a vertically extending wall, the support arm may be stored in a generally vertically extending direction, and when in use may be swung into various adjusted positions in a generally horizontal plane.

The support arm may be selectively locked in difl'erent adjusted positions when in the desired operative plane which as mentioned previously may be horizontal, and the arrangement is such that the support arm may be easily moved into the different operative positions and locked against undesired movement and then subsequently easily unlocked and moved into a different position when desired.

The construction of the present invention may be employed in many different applications as will be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, it may be used in a home, hotel or motel and the like as a support means for holding a bedspread. It is apparent that the bedspread can be suspended from the arm when in a horizontal position thereby providing convenience, cleanliness of the bedspread and economy by the preservation thereof and reduced cleaning costs.

The apparatus of the present invention may be employed in many positions throughout a household to serve different purposes. For example, in a utility, sewing or ironing room, the support means may be employed to hold hangers upon which are supported clothing or other dry goods. The support arm itself can be used for hanging up garments for drying as over a large sink or bathtub or it may also be used for hanging garments thereon on a porch or the like.

The support arm of the present invention could also be utilized as a ballet exercise bar and locked in such position so that it will be capable of withstanding loads applied thereto as when utilized by small children or the like when practicing ballet positions and exercises.

The invention is also adapted to be employed in shops and plants where it could be utilized as a temporary support of miscellaneous items such as drawings in a drafting room, cloth in a garment factory, and as a support for various tools and the like.

The construction of the present invention is such that 3,305,204 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 the various desired movements can readily be obtained with a relatively simple and inexpensive structure, and yet at the same time the structure is quite sturdy so as to withstand heavy loads, and the two different locking means permit the apparatus to be locked in a plurality of adjusted operative positions or in a storage position as the case may be.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and novel pivotally mounted support means which can be stored in a position adjacent to and substantially parallel to a mounting surface and held in such relationship.

Another object of the invention is the provision of pivotally mounted support means which can be swung into operative position extending in a plane disposed substantially parallel to an associated mounting surface and which can be locked in such plane for movement only in such plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide pivotally mounted support means wherein the support arm is freely swingable in a horizontal plane for example and wherein means is provided for locking the support arm in different adjusted positions in such plane.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of pivotally mounted support means which can be readily and easily moved into different operative positions and locked against undesired movement and which can subsequently be unlocked in a simple manner to change the position thereof.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide pivotally mounted support means which is quite simple and inexpensive in construction and yet which is quite sturdy, etficient and reliable in use.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent when considered in connection with the specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating various positions of the structure;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view looking at the structure rotated approximately degrees from the position of FIG. 1 and showing the support arm in its storage position; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 66 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a mounting means is indicated generally by reference numeral 10, this mounting means being generally a bracket U-shaped in configuration and including a main body portion 12 having integral mounting flange portions 14 and 16 extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom at the opposite ends of the mounting means, portions 14 and 16 being disposed substantially parallel with one another.

Portion 12 of the mounting means is provided with four spaced holes through which suitable attaching means such as wood screws 18 extend for fixedly securing the mounting means to a suitable supporting surface 20 such as a wall or the like. It is apparent that the mounting means may be attached to any suitable supporting surface by various types of attaching means as required.

The upper mounting portion 14 is provided with a hole 24 therethrough, and lower mounting portion 16 is provided with a hole 26 therethrough aligned with hole 24. A pivot member in the form of an elongated bolt indicated generally by reference numeral 28 is provided, this pivot member extending through aligned holes 24 and 26. Bolt 28 is provided with an enlarged head 30 at the upper end thereof, and the lower end 32 of the bolt is threaded. A lock washer and a nut 36 are provided on the lower end of the bolt 28 for holding the bolt in the assembled position shown in the drawings.

The upper mounting portion 14 is also provided with a plurality of holes formed therethrough, these holes being indicated by reference numerals 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48. The holes are disposed such that the centers thereof lie along a portion of a circle for a purpose hereinafter described. While the holes have been shown as being five in number, it will be apparent that any suitable number of holes may be employed as desired.

A base or housing means is indicated generally by reference numeral 50 and includes a rear wall portion 51 joining with integral side wall portions 52 and 54. As seen most clearly in FIG. 2, for example, the base means also includes an upper wall portion 56 which joins with a downwardly and forwarding sloping wall portion 58 which in turn joins with a forwardly extending arcuate lock flange portion 60.

A pair of rearwardly extending base portions 64 and 68 are formed integral with the rear wall portion 51, portions 64 and 68 being disposed substantially parallel with one another and spaced so that they are adapted to fit between the mounting portions 14 and 16 previously described. Base portions 64 and 68 are provided with holes 66 and 70 formed therethrough respectively which are adapted to receive the pivot bolt 28 previously described. It is evident that in the assembled position, the base means is pivotally connected with the mounting means through the intermediary of the pivot bolt, and that the base means is adapted to swing through an angle of at least 180 about the pivot bolt.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 3, the upper base portion 64 is provided with a hole 72 formed therethrough, this hole being adapted to be aligned with each one of the previously described holes formed through the upper mounting portion 14. As illustrated in the drawings, hole 72 is shown as being aligned with hole 74 in mounting portion 14.

A locking pin indicated generally by reference numeral 74 includes an upper eye portion 76 and a lower tapered shank portion 78. This shank portion 78 is adapted to fit through the aligned holes formed in portions 14 and 64, the tapered configuration of the shank portion assuring that a snug fit is obtained with the aligned holes to prevent any relative movement between the mounting means and the base means.

The locking pin is secured to the assembly by a retainer means including a chain 80 having an attaching means 82 at one end thereof secured to the eye portion 76 of the locking pin. The opposite end of chain 80 is provided with a connecting means 84 having a flattened circular portion 86 extending around the upper end of bolt 28 and disposed beneath the enlarged head portion 30 thereof. It is apparent that the retainer means serves to secure the locking pin to the assembly so that it cannot be lost and will be retained in a readily available position at all times.

Refer-ring now particularly to FIG. 4 of the drawings, it will be noted that when the locking pin extends through the hole 44 in the mounting means and through the aligned hole provided in the base means, the axis 44 of the base means which is also aligned with the axis of the support arms hereinafter described lies in the position shown in this figure. The position of this same axis when the locking pin extends through holes 40, 42, 46 and 48 is indicated by the lines 40', 42', 46 and 48 respectively. It is apparent that the locking pin is adapted to lock the base means in different angular positions relative to the mounting means and that the base means may be swung through an arc of approximately 180 utilizing these particular locking holes. It will be noted that the different holes provide adjusted positions of the base means relative to the mounting means in angular increments of approximately 45.

The opposite side wall portions 52 and 54 of base means 50 are provided with suitable holes which receive a tubular pivot pin 90 having upset opposite end portions 92 and 94 for permanently securing the pivot pin in the operative position shown in the drawings. This pivot pin serves to pivotally support the support arm hereinafter described.

Side wall portion 52 of the base means also includes an integral embossment 96 that projects inwardly toward the opposite side wall portion 54. The purpose of this detent means or embossment will be described hereinafter.

The support means or support arm of the present invention is indicated generally by reference numeral 100 and includes a tubular member 102 which may be of generally circular cross sectional configuration. An end cap 104 may be secured at the outer end of the tubular portion 102 for closing off this end of the tubular portion, and the opposite end of the tubular portion 102 may be open and provided with a pair of diametrically opposite aligned openings spaced from the open end thereof and which receive the pivot pin 90 for pivotally supporting the portion 102 on the base means.

A locking sleeve indicated generally by reference numeral includes a substantially cylindrical portion 112 which is slidably supported on the outer surface of the tubular portion 102 of the support arm. The locking sleeve also includes an intermediate portion 113 which tapers outwardly and joins with an enlarged generally cylindrical portion 114 which in turn is formed to provide a bead 116 at the open end thereof. As seen most clearly in FIG. 2, the portion 114 of the locking sleeve 110 is adapted to fit over the arcuate locked portion 60 of the base means when the portion 102 of the support arm is disposed against the undersurface of the portion 60 to thereby lock the support arm in the position shown relative to the base means.

A cross pin 120 extends through aligned openings formed at diametrically opposite points of portion 114 of the locking sleeve, this cross pin having enlarged head portions 122 at the opposite ends thereof so as to permanently secure it in the position shown. A tension spring is provided, one end 132 of the spring being connected with a cross pin 120, and the opposite end 134 of the spring being hooked over the end of tubular portion 102 as seen most clearly in FIG. 2 of the drawings. With this arrangement, the spring will continuously bias the locking sleeve toward the locking position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The operation of the apparatus will be described hereinafter. Let us assume that the mounting means is mounted upon a generally vertically extending wall portion such that the long axis of the mounting means extends vertically as does the pivot bolt 28. The support means or arm 100 may be normally stored in a downward vertical direction as indicated in full lines in FIG. 5 and in one of the phantom line positions shown in FIG. 1. The support arm may be maintained in this storage position by means of the detent embossment 96 which as seen in FIG. 5 is adapted to resist pivotal movement of the support arm upwardly into its horizontal operative position.

When it is desired to raise the support arm to the full line position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the arm may be grasped so as to move it past the detent embossment 96 while holding the locking sleeve 110 outwardly against the bias of the spring 130, and the cross pin 120 may be moved to the outermost limit of its movement within slots 126 while moving the support arm into its operative position.

The support arm is swung upwardly until it engages the undersurface of the arcuate locked portion 60 of the base means. the spring 130 will move it into the locking position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. It is apparent that when the locking sleeve is in this position, the support arm will be retained in its horizontal position, and that the support arm and the associated base means are adapted to be swung about pivot pin 28 such that the support arm can move through an arc of approximately 180 in a horizontal plane. It will be noted that the support arm is mounted for pivotal movement about a pivot axis which is disposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis about which the base means pivots.

The support arm and the base means then may be moved into any particular angular relationship desired with respect to the mounting means whereupon the locking pin 74 may be inserted through the aligned holes provided in the mounting means and the base means to thereby lock the support arm in its desired operative position.

It is apparent that when it is desired to change the operative position of the support arm, the locking pin 74 is removed and the support arm moved to a new desired position whereupon the locking pin can be re-inserted in locking relationship.

When it is desired to again move the support arm into the storage position, the locking sleeve may be moved outwardly to clear the lock portion 60 of the base means whereupon the support arm may be swung downwardly into any substantially vertical position where it will be held in place by the detent embossment 96.

While a particular orientation of the apparatus has been described for the purpose of illustration, it is apparent that it may be oriented in other directions if desired for particular purposes.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided according to the present invention new and novel pivotally mounted support means which can be stored and held in a storage position adjacent to and substantially parallel with a mounting surface and which can be swung into an operative position extending in a plane disposed substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface and locked in such plane. The support arm can be swingably mounted in the last-mentioned plane into different positions relative to the mounting means, and means is mounted for selectively locking the base means in different angular positions relative to the mounting means. The apparatus may be readily and easily moved into different operative positions and locked against undesired movement and then easily unlocked and moved into a different desired position. The apparatus is quite simple and The locking sleeve is then released so that 6 inexpensive in construction and yet at the same time is quite sturdy, efficient and reliable in operation.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

Iclaim:

1. Pivotally mounted support means comprising a U- shaped bracket having a base portion adapted to be mounted on a vertical wall, and outwardly projecting supporting flanges extending normally thereto, a support housing having top, side and rear walls, said rear wall having integral rearwardly extending flanges overlapping said first named flanges and pivotally secured thereto for relative movement about a vertical axis, a tubular support member closely received between said side walls and pivoted thereto on a transverse axis for downward swinging movement relative thereto, said housing having an integral outwardly extending curved flange, the axis of said curved flange being in intersecting alignment with and normal to said transverse axis, and sleeve means on said tubular member cooperating with said curved flange to hold said tubular member in a horizontal operative position.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means for locking said overlapping flanges against relative movement in a plurality of different positions whereby said housing and supporting tubular member may be swung to and locked in various predetermined positions about said vertical axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 504,717 9/1893 Fanckboner 248-291 X 586,977 7/1897 Sibley 248-278 801,664 10/1905 Holtmann 248-279 1,679,513 8/1928 Brown 287-99 1,809,564 6/1931 OConnor et al. 287-14 1,891,250 12/1932 Thompson 248-278 2,023,541 12/1935 Paull 248-279 2,251,592 8/1941 Lowe 248-286 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. PIVOTALLY MOUNTED SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING A USHAPED BRACKET HAVING A BASE PORTION ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON A VERTICAL WALL, AND OUTWARDLY PROJECTING SUPPORTING FLANGES EXTENDING NORMALLY THERETO, A SUPPORT HOUSING HAVING TOP, SIDE AND REAR WALLS, SAID REAR WALL HAVING INTEGRAL REARWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGES OVERLAPPING SAID FIRST NAMED FLANGES AND PIVOTALLY SECURED THERETO FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, A TUBULAR SUPPORT MEMBER CLOSELY RECEIVED BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS AND PIVOTED THERETO ON A TRANSVERSE AXIS FOR DOWNWARD SWINGING MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN INTEGRAL OUTWARDLY EXTENDING CURVED FLANGE, THE AXIS OF SAID CURVED FLANGE BEING IN INTERSECTING ALIGNMENT WITH AND NORMAL TO SAID TRANSVERSE AXIS, AND SLEEVE MEANS ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER COOPERATING WITH SAID CURVED FLANGE TO HOLD SAID TUBULAR MEMBER IN A HORIZONTAL OPERATIVE POSITION. 